The Return of a Hero
by Castiel-Fan
Summary: He fought against fire-breathing dragons, demons of darkness, even against undead. But his most difficult task was still to come...
1. Chapter 1

_**First things first:  
>I DON'T OWN THE LEGEND OF ZELDA - OCARINA OF TIME! ALL RIGHTS BELONGS TO NINTENDO AND THE CREATORS OF THE GAME!<strong>___

_I am so excited, because this is my first Zelda-Fanfcition EVER, so please don't be so harsh with me. I need to apologize for story mistakes, because it's been a very long time (11 or more years) since i played Ocarina of time and i can't remember everything that happened in the game .I have to play this game again to refresh my memories :3. Ocarina of time is still one of my most favorite games of all the time (even if it drives me crazy at some parts XD). I love it so much and my favorite character is definitely Link.  
>I myself had many "What if..." questions and i want to answer one of those questions with this story. I dunno how many chapters this FF will have. Maybe 4 or 5, i dunno.<em>

_For people who doesn't know me: My first language isn't english, so i am very sorry for grammer/spelling mistakes._

_Please sit back and enjoy the first chapter._

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><p><strong><em><span>The Return of a Hero<span>_**

**Chapter 1**

Hyrule!

Once a powerful kingdom, ruled by a benevolent king.

But the reign of this king had long passed.

Shadow had settled over the land, spread out farther and devoured everything that came into its touch.

The king was dead, just as the Queen and no one had heard anything from the only daughter of the royal couple. Nobody knew if Princess Zelda was still alive...

Seven years had passed since these cruel incidents.

Seven long years in which the darkness had been able to spread.

Seven years in which there was a new, bloodthirsty king of Hyrule and its inhabitants displaced in fear and terror. Those who do not obey him, were killed mercilessly.

Only one dared to stand against this king...

They called him a hero because he had banished the shadows from the country and has helped the people who were obsessed.

Now he had already survived so many terrible tasks.

He fought against deadly enemies.

Fire-breathing dragons, demons, who had been lurking in the darkness, water spirits, witches, even against undead he had fought.

But that was nothing compared to what he had to do now.

Now it was him who had to banish the last bit of shadow to free Hyrule forever.

He alone was able to overthrow Ganondorf, the new king of Hyrule, and thus bring back peace to this once peaceful and fertile land.

But before he would confront all these threats, there was something else that had to be done...

"Link? Hey! Link! Wait for me! Where do you go? The way to Hyrule Castle is in the other direction!"

Gentle horse steps were heard on this late afternoon, broke the beautiful silence that had settled over the land. Four powerful legs, that belonged to a magnificent mare, slowly making their way through the tall grass of Hyrule Field. Her gorgeous, white mane shimmered in the slowly lowering sun, which stretched on the horizon just before them and a contented snort came from her nostrils, as her rider gently stroked her by the mane.

A young man was sitting on her back.

His blond hair hung him lank in the face and he gently wiped them from his eyes to see better. The light of the sun reflected in his azure eyes and a smile, warm as the sun itself, lay down on his lips. A powerful shield, with had the sign of Hyrule on it, hung on his back, on his side, he wore a sword, which also bore the symbol of this country.

"I know that this is not the direction to the Hyrule Castle Navi."

"Why do you ride in this direction, if you know it yet?"

The young man's smile widened and he tapped his mare with the heels of his boots gently in the side to move her to gallop.

"There's still something I want to do. I don't think that I will return from this last mission..."

The small, white fairy hovering over Link's head, fell silent, followed him in silence, until they reached their destination.

The steppe ended in a small wooded area and Link dismounted from his horse.

"So my girl. You have to wait for me here. This is no place for a horse like you. I won't stay away for too long. Promise me that you'll stay in the area."

The mare, named Epona, responded him with whinnying and nudged Link careful with her nose which made him chuckle and he stroked her gently through the mane.

Then he turned and walked toward the tunnel.

"Come Navi, it is time that we say hello to our old friends..."


	2. Chapter 2

_And here is the second chapter :D_  
><em>Hope you will like it and many thanks for the reviews *hug*<em>

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 2<strong>_

Link shivered slightly as he took slow steps through the tunnel he knew so well.

Here his journey had begun.

Seven years ago he had abandoned his home, the Kokiri forest, and went to save a world.

These seven years had changed him, made him stronger and more confident.

The biggest change had made his body, because in all the years he had grown. The inhabitants of the Kokiri Forest did not grow, which is why they always look like children. But on his long journey Link had learned that he was never a Kokiri, but a Hylian.

He had always known he was different than the others, but he never wanted to believe it...

Link's body now began literally to shake as he set a foot on the bridge, here, where he had taken leave of his best friend Saria seven years ago.

His heart pounded wildly in his chest, on his forehead sweat gathered and a sinking feeling spread through his stomach. A feeling which he had long not felt: the feeling of fear...

He was afraid to return to his homeland, afraid, such as the inhabitants of the forest would respond to him and, moreover, he was afraid that they would not recognize him and fear him...

But his greatest fear was Saria…

Although he knew that Saria was the sarge of the forest and that she could not leave the Temple of Light , but what if she had managed to leave this temple?

What if she did not remember him after their last meeting?

Anything was possible in this crazy world.

Link shook his head, didn't want to think of such terrible things.

"Calm down, " Navi whispered softly in his ear.

"I haven't seen you like this for a very long time. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, I'm fine," was the terse reply that got the fairy from the young man and he quickened his pace. The entrance to the Kokiri forest was in front of him and he briefly paused, seemed to consider. Almost he was playing with the idea to turn around and just go back, but his fairy not even gave him a ghost of a chance than she, not exactly gentle, tugging on his ear.

"Come on, you coward! They will not bite you, or did you forget all the things you've already done for these woods?"

"But, they don't know. Don't know who it was...right? And even if it's been an eternity ago, what if-"

"Enough Link! Stop talking like that and move your feet! You're fighting against dragons and demons, even against undead, but you are afraid to go back to the Kokiri Forest? Come on, that's not you..."

Link sighed and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"You have once again right. Come on, let's go."

Once again, he took a deep breath, trying to relax and then, finally, he put his foot into the entrance of the Kokiri forest and was soon gone...


	3. Chapter 3

_And here is the next chapter :)._  
><em>I hope you will like it.<em>

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><p>Silence.<p>

Nothing but silence greeted the Hero of the time when he stepped into his old home village, which lay deep in the Kokiri Forest.

Nothing and no one was to be seen and this marveled him.

When he had entered this forest the last time, he had to fight against awful monsters, but after he had banished the curse of the forest temple, the monsters disappeared from the forest and the inhabitants were able to go out of their homes again.

The more surprised he was that he saw no one now...

"Where is everyone going?" He murmured softly as he took a few steps forward and looked around, but still he could not see anyone.

A sinister idea began to spread in his head.

What if the inhabitants of this village were gone in the lost woods?

Everyone who grew up in the Kokiri forest knew what would happen if they would get lost in the lost woods. They would turn into Skull Kids!

What if this had happened to all of his old friends?

What if he'd never see them again?

Link shook his head.

He shouldn't think of something like this now!

"Hey Link, have you seen this?"

Navi pulled him immediately out from his dark thoughts by pulling on his ear again.

"Ouch, quit it Navi! And no, what should I have seen?" murmured the young warrior and he rubbed the spot on his left ear the little fairy had pinched him.

"Over there has something moved."

"Really? Where?"

"Over there."

"I don't see anything."

"Come on Link, let us check it."

"I-I don't know if that's such a good idea Navi. Let us rather go back..."

"You're acting worse than a child. And someone like you gets called a hero? Seriously?"

"Hey! Not _I_ call myself a hero, Hyrule is doing it!"

"That makes it even worse!"

Link felt the heat in his face as his cheeks turned pink and reluctantly he sat down again on the move.

"Fine, let us check it. But if we find nothing then we go back, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, you coward. And now come, or do you want to put down roots here?"

Link grumbled when his fairy giggled softly and his cheeks blushed even more.

Slowly, very slowly, Link walked up to the place to which the little fairy over his head pointed. Before him stood a small bush and he could see, in fact, that something was moving among the branches and leaves.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

There was no answer and the movements ceased.

The Hero of Hyrule noticed a small shiver run down his spine when two small hands appeared, which carefully pushed the branches of the small bush apart. Then the face of a little boy appeared and he looked at him with wide eyes.

"Uhm…hello?"

Link could not bring more over his lips and carefully he reached out his hand to the little boy to greet him. But the little blond boy seemed to interpret it false, because as soon as Link held out his hand to him, the boy's eyes widened and he stumbled back a few steps.

"No, no, there is no need to be afraid of me. You know me, trust me."

"I-Intruder!"

"W–what? I'm not-"

Link could not finish the sentence, because soon another "Intruder!" came to his ears. And then another and another, until the whole mob was in front of him and glared at him angrily.

"Oh no…"

"GET HIM!" was all Link heard before the whole mob rushed to him from all sides and wrestled him to the ground...


	4. Chapter 4

_And here you have the next chapter :D_  
><em>Again thank you very much for the kind reviews :)<em>

_Hope you like it^^._

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 4<strong>_

"Hold him down! Ensures that he can not get free before Mido is here!"

For several minutes the wonderful silence above the Kokiri village was interrupted by battle cries and anguished sounds of Link. The young hero tried desperately to free himself, but it seemed hopeless. Although he had become bigger and stronger, but that did not help him in the "battle" against a dozen Kokiris who pushed him down to the ground again and again whenever he managed to sit up.

After two more pitiful attempts he finally admitted defeat and fell back with a resigned sigh and completely exhausted.

"Fine, you won. I give up... " he muttered and he winced when they not just gently pushed him to the ground and hold him down by his legs and his arms.

"Ouch, not so rough. I will not hurt you. I am your friend!"

"Pfft! Yeah right. Of course you are! We have never seen you!" It came from one of the Kokiris.

"Please. You must believe me! It's me: Link!"

"Link?"

All heads turned to look at him now and silence returned, but was not of long duration, as a little later steps invaded to Link's ears.

"Link is gone! And I don't think he'll ever come back!" said a voice which the hero of time knew very well.

A little boy with a slightly reddish hair and a grim expression came over to the one lying on the ground. His eyes sparkled at him darkly and he crossed his arms over his chest as he stood in front of Link.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I've already told you: I am Link!"

"I don't believe a word from you!" Mido growled and he kicked the warrior not just gently into his side, making the blond boy cringe and bite his lip with pain.

"Link has let us down! He left the woods after the great Deku tree died. After that, everything is gone down the drain. Monsters have haunted these woods and we could not leave our homes because we had too much fear of these monsters. Link is a coward and a traitor! He will probably have held out not even a week in the world out there!"

Link closed his eyes briefly, had to digest these allegations at first.

The words hurt him more than the blade of a sword could ever do and he felt guilty. He just wanted to save the Deku Tree, but in the end he had come too late and the curse had taken its toll. But Mido and all the others could not know this. Nor could they know that it has always been his determination to leave the Kokiri Village and the forest in order to save Hyrule from the darkness...

While Link was lost in his thoughts, Mido walked slowly around him to look at him from all sides. Even if he don't wanted to admit it, but something about this stranger seemed strangely familiar to him...

"Strange...You are not one of us, and yet you are wearing the clothes of the Kokiri..."

"That's because I 'm one of you. I grew up here. The Great Deku Tree has raised me..."

Mido narrowed his eyes and a growl made its way from his throat.

"You're nothing but a liar and you would do well to leave this forest as soon as possible and to never come back!"

With these words the conversation seemed to be over for Mido, because the Kokiri turned around and wanted to leave.

"In all these years you have not changed a bit Mido..."

Mido immediately stopped moving and his eyes grew wide with astonishment.

"How...how did you know my name? I can't remember to have mentioned it to you!"

On Link's face appeared a small, meek smile.

"I would never forget your name...or how often you have teased me as a child. And you've still not changed a bit Mido. Is that the way in which you say thank you for those who have saved your village?"

Mido now turned around and looked at the blonde boy with wide eyes.

"W-what are you talking about?"

Link still had that gentle smile on his lips as he spoke.

"You told me of the evil that has haunted these woods. I've seen it with my own eyes when I was here a few months ago. I went to the forest temple and broke the curse that lay over these woods. I brought this country back its peace and now, after all these months, I come back to my home and get such a greeting? I know that you could never accept me as one of your kind, I have accepted it, but now you're so mean to me. I expected a little bit more from you, Mido..."

The young Kokiri stood stock still, was no longer able to move, let alone let a word from his mouth and the others looked at the hero of the time with wide eyes as well.

Mido cleared his throat after a few moments, trying to hide his surprise.

"You say you're Link? Well...prove it! Where's your fairy? I know that Link has gotten a fairy before he went to the Deku Tree. So, where is she?"

"This is a very good question..." it came with a slightly playful undertone from Link and he glanced at his hat from which came a soft giggle.

"Navi~..." he said warningly, but the little fairy did not come out.

"Come on Navi. Come out and show yourself to them."

"Oh...now the hero needs my help? I thought you don't need my help..."

"We both know that's a lie. Come on, come out and show yourself."

Mido looked at the spectacle for a few minutes before it was enough for him. He climbed unceremoniously on Link's stomach, who gasped for air as the little hands rudely pushed into his belly. The redhead sat down and pulled the cap from the Hylian's head and a surprised murmur went through the small crowd. A small, white fairy sat among on Link's head and chuckled at the looks she got now.

"And? Are you satisfied now?" It came from Link, his lips curled into a small grin.

No wonder. Mido looked like as if his eyes would fall out of his head.

However, Link's grin faded as quickly as it had come when he could see the joyful twinkle in the eyes of the others Kokiris. He was released, but shortly afterwards the others pushed him back to the ground again as they pounced on him. Mido saved himself quickly to the side to not get buried under the mob.

A laugh broke away from Link's throat as he was embraced by all sides.

Meanwhile Navi escaped as fast as she could to one of the related Kokiri houses, watching from there with a giggle as Link was now buried under the mob.

And even on Mido's face you could see a little smile as he watched them...


	5. Chapter 5

I had a lot of fun with this chapter :)  
>Hope you'll like it^^<p>

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><p>Hours had passed since that first meeting and the sun began to settle slowly but surely, dive the heaven into a gorgeous red.<p>

In Kokiri Village it has become quiet again.

Gradually, the inhabitants of this peaceful place went back into their houses and Link was on his way to his old house as well.

Just the way to his house brought him back so many beautiful memories.

A broad smile appeared on his face as he stood before the ladder that led to his house. He paused and closed his eyes.

"Do you hear that Navi?" He whispered softly and he enjoyed the gentle evening breeze that caressed his face.

"No. What do you mean? I hear nothing."

"That's what I mean. Peace..."

The little fairy sat on his shoulder and brushed one of her wings playfully over his cheek which made his smile widen even more.

"Thanks to you Link..." she whispered softly into his ear.

"No...not to me alone..."

The smile faded slowly from his face as he lifted his head and looked up at the sky.

"What do you think become of Saria? Whether she's watching us? Whether she can hear or see us at all?"

"I'm sure she'll be fine. Don't worry about her, okay?"

"That's easier said than done Navi...but I'll try."

"I should hope so!" the little fairy teased him and nudged him gently on his cheek before she flew to the entrance of his house.

"Come on now Link. I don't want to spend another night outside."

"You spend the nights outside? May I remind you that you're always sleeping under my hat? I should complain here and not you," Link teased her back and he stuck his tongue out at her playfully.

The little fairy just rolled her eyes at him.

"Sometimes you behave still like a little kid..." she muttered as he grinned at her and climbed up the last few steps to his tree house.

"So after everything I've been through I am probably allowed to do that, right?" He grinned as he stepped into his house, threw his boots, his sword and his shield in the next best corner and let himself fall onto his old bed and closed his eyes, not even waiting for a response from the fairy.

"Look at you..." he heard her speak and he could hear her amusement out of her voice.

"You're too big for this bed," she giggled at him and she flew over to him and she playfully stroked her little wings over the soles of his feet, which made him murmur and he pulled his legs back, which hung far over the edge of the bed.

"Never mind...a bed is a bed and I'm glad to finally be able to sleep again in one. Above all, I'm glad to finally be able to sleep peacefully again. This wasn't possible in the last months."

"I'll give you exceptionally right."

Link opened one of his eyes and grinned at her.

"How nice. I am right?"

He chuckled when she shone in a gentle red.

"Come Navi. Let us sleep. It was a long day for us."

"And tomorrow it will be a long day again, huh?"

Again a gentle smile appeared on the face of the young hero as he was already thinking about the next day.

"Yes. They want to know where we were in the last seven years. I don't know yet where and how to begin, but I'll tell them everything...But until that happens we should go to sleep. Tonight we can finally rest without fear...and you've still the best place to sleep," Link teased her again as he slightly raised his hat for her.

The small fairy giggled and, to his surprise, flew to his chest and settled there and snuggled into the fabric of his tunic.

"You're right...I've in fact the best place to sleep..." she murmured softly.

Link blushed a bit and his smile grew wider and he stroked her wings gently with his fingers. He took off his cap and let it drop carelessly to the floor.

Then he closed his eyes and arrived a little later in the realm of dreams and that night he wasn't haunted by sinister dreams.

No, that night he and Navi could finally sleep in peace...


	6. Chapter 6

_And the next chapter :)_  
><em>I have to admit: I didn't want to make a naughty fairy out of Navi. That was...spontaneous to be honest. Please forgive me for that.<em>

_I am also very sorry again for grammer/spelling mistakes._

_Have fun now :)_

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><p>The morning came faster as when it was dear to him, but when the sun came already through the door of his small house Link simply turned to the other side and tried to escape the sun which shone right into is eyes.<p>

A small, satisfied smile was on his lips and he slid his arms under his pillow and snuggled into the soft fabric.

Other than he, his little fairy was already wide awake. She giggled as she watched him. Link had never been an early riser. Way and no other she had met him and this situation brought her back to the day on which they had met.

With one difference: Link had become a man, and that day he wasn't plagued by nightmares...

Which does not mean that Navi could not annoy him, because that's what the little fairy had in her mind for some time.

Would she let him sleep he would sleep until noon.

Of course she would grant him that, after all they had been through together, but an entire village was waiting for him outside.

And besides, it was so much fun to tease him a little.

Slowly she flew down to him and sat down on his shoulder.

"Link? Hey Link. Wake up..." she whispered softly into his ear, but she got no response from him.

"Come on, sleepyhead. Wake up."

While her words she tugged gently on one of his golden strands of hair, which gave her a reaction. He grumbled and buried his face in his pillow.

"Navi...stop that and let me sleep..." he muttered as his fairy tugged on his ear.

He heard her giggle, which also made him smile and he opened one of his eyes to look at her.

"You can be pretty annoying, you know that?" he teased her with a cheeky grin on his face.

"Hey! I don't want you to sleep all day. You know how excited they all are and how happy they are that you're here again."

"They also know that we both have a long journey behind us and want to rest a bit. They also know that we will stay here for a few days. Relax a bit."

"Well, I'll try...but only if you get up now."

"Merciless as ever, huh? But please, so you do not continue to annoy me, I'm doing as you wish. "

"Works every time..." the little fairy giggled which made Link glare at her, but she knew that he was only half serious.

She sat down on the table, standing near the bed, and watched the young man as he stretched his body and sat up slowly. He ran his hands through his face and brushed his hair from his eyes.

"Look at you. A hero looks different..."

"I love you too Navi," Link grumbled and he slowly stood up and gathered together the remaining things that he had thrown carelessly on the floor before he had gone to bed.

The blond boy shook his head and stretched again. Slowly his feet took him to the entrance of his house and he raised his eyebrow questioningly, as his bright blue eyes spotted something.

"What is that?" He murmured softly, which also attracted Navi's attention.

She flew over to him and sat down on his shoulder to be able to see better.

"Awww how cute. They gave you a set of fresh clothes."

"You knew about that?"

"I even know who it was..."

Link could hear the grin out of her voice.

"Who was it?"

"You wouldn't believe me when I tell you who it was."

Link rolled his eyes and decided to no longer prefer to ask.

He wouldn't get a word out of her, because she was just like him: stubborn as a donkey could ever be...

"Whoever it was, I am indebted to him. Just look at my cloths..."

The Hero of Hyrule looked down at himself and quickly realized that he indeed looked no longer like a proud hero when he looked at his ripped clothes.

"The last battle has really given me the rest..."

"You can be happy that you're still alive. I really thought you were dead. Don't you dare to scare me so much like that again, do you hear me?"

During her words the little fairy flew against his cheek to nudge him.

Link smiled softly and stroked her small wings gently when she had sat down on the back of his hand.

"I promise I will never do that again. But I must admit, this fight really was not fair. Two against one?"

"And then against two witches!"

"Don't remind me on that Navi. One tries to burn the flesh from my bones, the other tries to freeze me...two nasty women they were..."

Link raised his brow again as Navi chuckled.

"What? What's so funny?"

"Two nasty women you say? Well...apparently based not on the reciprocity at the way they have looked at you. In their final form they even winked at you. Your look was divine."

Link felt the heat in his face as his cheeks turned into a soft pink.

"Hey, you swore to never talk about it again!"

The blue fairy flew quickly out of his reach and laughed with amusement.

"I also remember Princess Ruto as you have saved her from Lord Jabu Jabu. She wanted to marry you right after the rescue. And when we met her in the water temple...your face was simply priceless hahaha."

"Ha, ha, very funny..." Link muttered and as he spoke he took off his tunic and shirt and tossed it carelessly into a corner. This in turn was of course immediately a godsend for his naughty fairy.

"If Ruto would see you like this now...or this Gerudo warrior you have fought, remember that?"

"NAVI!"

Quickly Link's winged friend saved herself on one of the cabinets and laughed in amusement.

Link growled something to himself and turned his back on his fairy. Wordlessly, he took care of the bandage that was tied around his right upper arm.

Navi became serious again as she heard him whimper in pain as he carefully cut the bandage from his arm. Among them was a nasty wound that he had received only recently.

"Link…"

"I-It's okay Navi. That's nothing...I'm fine."

"Nothing? Look at the wound! It's bleeding again!"

"I'll take care of that, don't worry about me."

Without a further word to lose he turned to his little table on which stood a bowl of water and he began to clean his wound. He gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the pain as good as he could, which was not easy for him. The wound went deep...

"Better my arm than my head...this Iron Knuckle was a really tough opponent..."

Navi watched him in silence and with a little distance.

She let her gaze wander over his naked upper body and shuddered when she saw the many scars that were all over his young body.

And that was one of those moments in which she believed the Deku Tree and Hyrule all would have expected too much from him.

Link was so young and already had to suffer so many terrible things, had gotten so many wounds and yet he fought bravely for the peace of this country.

She admired him for his courage and in that moment she knew that he was a worthy recipient of the fragment of courage which the gods of Hyrule had entrusted him with...


	7. Chapter 7

_And the next chapter :) _  
><em>Again i had very much fun writing it :3 <em>

_I hope you'll like it._

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 7<strong> _

The hours passed quickly on this day and slowly the sun began to lower over the Hyrule Field.

It was quiet in the woods...

Quick and unnoticed a shadow cast flitted through the lost woods, undiscovered by the dangers which lived in a dark place like this.

The person stopped.

It had been a long way and he needed a short break.

The light of the setting sun reflected in his red eyes and he brushed a strand of hair from his face which was covered in bandages.

He wasn't allowed to rest here for a longer time.

He already felt the eyes of the creatures in his neck, which hid themselves in the thicket. A few moments later his feet placed in motion again, carried him nimbly to the correct paths to the entrance of Kokiri village...

Also in Kokiri village itself it was no longer as quiet as it was in the morning.

Some of the villagers were preparing food, as there should be a feast in honor of Link in the evening. Even if the hero did not want it because he did not deserve that in his opinion. His old friends had said he were crazy, as he had done more than enough for these woods and brought back peace to them. A feast was the least they could do for him.

So while some of the villagers cooked their food and prepared their village festive, the remaining residents would be trained with the sword by Link.

Above all, Mido was excited for this idea, which Link and even his fairy had puzzled. No wonder, with the history that the two shared with each other...

But in the end Link had agreed, on the condition that they used Deku Sticks instead of swords once to escape injury. The others had only reluctantly agreed, but in the end they had made friends with the idea.

Also: When they got such an opportunity again?

After all, they were being taught by the master himself.

"Hey, not so rough Mido!"

Link was just able to fend off an attack that nearly hit his injured arm.

"Don't fight as wild as a hellcat. You have to go closer to the matter of feeling and you need a lot of caution."

Mido's cheeks took on a deep red when he heard giggling coming from the Kokiris behind Link and the hero himself couldn't contain a small grin at the sight as well.

He quickly caught himself and went back into a fighting stance.

"Come on. The same again."

Mido was, of course, not to be told twice and he attacked again.

However, this attack could Link easily fend off, but this time he did not leave it at a simple defensive maneuvers, because he turned around and attacked the smaller boy who was so surprised that he could not react in time and only a few moments later, his Deku stick flew a few yards away from him. Link himself was only inches away from him and held his own Deku stick against his neck.

"And you would be dead..."

Mido shivered slightly at such sinister words, but caught himself quickly and glared at Link.

"That's not fair. You have a lot more experience than us."

"In the beginning I was also clumsy Mido. No one is a perfect swordsman when he holds a sword in hands. I have to train for a long time now to be so good and yet even I'm not perfect."

"I'm not clumsy..." muttered Mido and he blushed a bit more now.

Link grinned what Mido made to fluff up his cheeks.

"Stop smirking! This is not funny!"

Link's grin widened.

"I think it is."

Then he turned around and took the Deku stick, which he had beaten out of Mido's hand.

"What is it now? Want to try again? Or do you give up?"

Mido looked at the stick and then he looked at Link so dark that the hero of time shivered a bit.

"I think that's a yes, am I right?"

The young Kokiri did not answer, but dashed off and attacked the hero of Hyrule with the stick in his hand. But Link had already been prepared for such an attack and spun around skillfully and tried again to hit the rod out of Mido's hand, but the young Kokiri did not fall for this trick again. He quickly ducked and managed to beat Link's legs off the ground. The young man gasped in pain and surprise as he fall on the floor.

In the moment in which he was about to sit up, Mido jumped up to him and did not land gently on his stomach, which made him gasp in slight pain. The two jockeyed with each other, trying to pin each other's on the floor. Of course, Mido would not have had the slightest chance if Link would have brought a bit more strength to their little "fight", but the Hylian did not want to hurt his old rival.

But Link had to admit that the Kokiri boy was anything but a pushover for his size and here and there he had serious problems to hold him down.

"What is it now? Do you give?" Link wanted to know with a grin, but his opponent shook his head and pushed him right back to the ground.

Meanwhile the other Kokiris, who were watching the spectacle, just shook their heads.

"That reminds one of the old times, don't you think?" Asked one of them and the others nodded in response.

"Come on Mido, give up. You have no chance against me."

"Oh, yeah?! We'll see about that!"

"Hey!"

Link growled like a hungry wolf when his rival pulled his cap over his eyes and thus distracting him from their tussle. This brief moment of inattention uses the young Kokiri to his advantage immediately.

A surprised cry, followed by almost hysterical laughter followed, as Mido dug his fingers into Link's ribs and started to tickle him. Gradually, Mido and the other Kokiris started to laugh along with their fairies. The young hero squirmed like a worm under the predatory fingers and it didn't take long before the first tear rolled down his cheek.

The whole situation got not better when the other Kokiri's decided to help Mido a bit which made Link sending silent prayers to the gods of Hyrule.

"N-NAVI! HELP ME!"

That was the only thing Link could press out of his laughing fit.

Navi, which has stayed on at some distance, chuckled in amusement and flew over to him.

"Sorry Link, but that's a battle you have to win on your own. Besides...I have to do something else. See you later, mighty hero~..."

After that was said she flew off, leaving a completely desperate Link back.

"Oh, bad luck for you, eh? Not even your Fairy wants to help you now," Mido grinned.

The Hylian wanted to respond to something suitable on it, but he couldn't barely speak anymore. Especially not when two of the Kokiris firmly held his arms over his head which gave Mido more leeway.

"Now, what is Link? Do you give?"

"N-never!"

Mido shrugged.

"Then I will continue until you give up," he grinned.

Meanwhile Navi had arrived at her destination.

She had for some time felt that they had been observed, and when she saw the shadowy figure that was located at the entrance to the Lost Woods, she was sure that it wasn't just her imagination.

The figure was wearing blue/white clothes and the face and upper half of the head were hidden under white bandages.

"I knew that my senses do not deceive me."

Sheik smiled under his mask and his eyes turned to the little fairy who now looked at him curiously.

"What are you doing here?" She wanted to know.

"I thought we would meet you in the Temple of Time?"

"I thought so too," said the young man and he let Navi land on his hand.

"I've been waiting for you, but you did not come. Since I was worried I started to look for you. And something told me that it would pull our hero and his faithful companion back home and I seemed to have been right."

A small smile came over Sheik's lips as he watched Link.

Here he seemed so carefree and happy and he granted it to him with all his heart.

He had done more than enough for Hyrule.

The eyes of the Sheikah were cloudy and the smile disappeared from them.

There still was a task left for Link.

A task in which it was necessary to bring back peace to Hyrule.

But Sheik was at this moment not so sure whether he would accomplish this task...

...or if he would return home alive...


	8. Chapter 8

And here you have the next chapter. I am sorry it took me so long to update.  
>And i hope it isn't that silly ;).<br>But i had a lot of fun writing this chapter hehe.  
>Hope ya like it.<p>

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><p>When the sun was long gone Link and the remaining inhabitants of the Kokiri Village sat around a large campfire.<p>

With full stomachs they now listened to the stories of the hero of time and even Mido was very impressed by the deeds that his old rival had already accomplished. Of course, he would never say such a thing aloud by himself, but that night you could clearly see it on his face how proud he was.

"And there I stood. In front of me a huge, fire-breathing dragon. In his eyes I could see all the hatred he harbored against me. His roar was so loud that it shook the whole mountain."

"Were you afraid?" Link was interrupted by one of the Kokiris and he turned his eyes on the young girl.

"At that moment I was scared. But it was not my life to which I feared. I was afraid for my old friend, because I knew this dragon (*). Once we were friends, but then Ganondorf cursed him. He did not recognize me, attacked me again and again, trying to kill me. But I hesitated. I could not harm my old friend, but I knew it was the only chance to take the curse from him. I grabbed my steel hammer, a relic of the Gorons, and knocked him down. I drew my sword, but I hesitated as I looked into his eyes. In short I thought I would see my old friend in them, but there was nothing left of my friend. He took advantage of my distraction and hit me one of his claws into the side. I still have the scar and it hurts just as much as on the first day... "

Link paused and he pulled his tunic and the white undershirt up to show them a piece of the long scar that ran from the side of his belly until almost up to his ribs.

"How did you survive that? It looks horrible!"

"That's a question I ask myself till to this day. And still I find no answer. After I got this wound everything else happened very quickly. Navi distracted the dragon just in time and I took my sword and stabbed him in the chest with my last bit of strength. That's how I took the curse that lay on the fire temple and on my old friend, but I nearly paid with my life for that."

Silence fell over the small company.

Link could see how some of them literally shook and he felt no different. Of all the enemies with whom he had fought, Volvagia was one of the worst. He just wanted to forget all of this, but he would never do that. The scar would remind him every day on what had happened to him...

"Even if I do not like to admit it, but you have real guts!" Mido tried to cheer up the mood with success, because when he looked around he could see the soft smiles of each Kokiri and even Link's lips twitched upwards.

"How nice of you Mido. But not only am I become bolder..."

During his words Link peered to his cap under which his fairy quickly hid with a giggle, which made him smile even more.

"What's wrong with you Navi? Usually you're not shy."

"I'm not shy!"

"Of course not..."

He heard her mumble something, but he did not understand what it was, which was probably better. He shook his head with a small grin on his face and turned his attention back to his listeners.

"What happened next Link? What did you do when the fire temple was freed from its curse?"

Now it was Link's turn to grumble and at Navi to laughing gleefully and she flew out of his cap.

"I love this part of your story," she giggled.

"I do not," he growled in response.

"Why? C'mon Link, tell us. Please~."

The Hero of time sighed resignedly and finally gave up.

"All right, I'll tell you. So, after the curse of the fire temple was broken, Navi and I continued our journey. It was a long and arduous way which led us through half of Hyrule. Our goal was the water temple located at the bottom of Lake Hylia."

He paused and muttered softly as Navi giggled in amusement.

The answer to the "why" you could see on his face, because his eyes had become darker and darker during his words.

"Should I continue to tell Link?"

"If you really want to. I would like to forget this part of my journey..." muttered the young hero as his fairy laughed and she sat on his shoulder and began to talk.

"We arrived late in the evening on Lake Hylia. The lake was almost completely dried out, but the entrance of the temple was still under water. However, Link has the right equipment. Before we entered the temple, we have made a short stopover in Zora's Domain. But even there the curse of the temple has made noticeable because the entire kingdom of Zora was covered in ice. We made it at least to the extent that we could speak to the king, after we were able to free him by using a special blue fire. From him we got the Zora tunic. Link can breathe under water when he wears it. And in the ice cave he found the Iron Boots, which he used to walk at the bottom of the lake."

Again she giggled as Link growled like a hungry wolf and she could clearly hear a "Stupid Iron Boots..." from his mutterings. The remaining Kokiris grinned at his reaction and they hung at Navi's lips.

"Come on Navi, go on!"

"With the greatest pleasure."

The glee was clearly to hear from her voice.

"With this equipment, we were able to make our way inside the water temple which was not so easy. Link was not even five minutes inside the temple when he had already lost his first boot which sank slowly to the bottom. Link chased after his boot and when he got it back we got lost immediately. In this temple almost everything looks like the same and if you are not careful enough you get lost..."

"Thank you for your detailed description Navi!" Link growled and his cheeks took on a gentle pink as his friends laughed.

"You're welcome Link," Navi grinned which made him roll his eyes.

"Go on..." he grumbled.

"With pleasure. It took us hours until we finally made it to the first real opponent in this temple and I can tell you: He was hard to fight!"

Navi noticed how the others moved closer to her during her words and they waited for her to continue.

"We came into a room that was different than all the other rooms we had seen up to that time in the water temple. Left and right it looked as if you were staring into nothingness. In the middle of the room was a small island with a single dead tree in the middle. On the other side was the door through which we had to pass, but it was blocked. As we turned around, we were already feeling the evil aura which had surrounding us all the time... Do you want to continue to tell the rest Link?"

"Do I have to?" Growled the blonde and he felt the heat in his face as if he could hear her smirk already out of her voice.

"Come on Link, please~," the others begged, and again he gave up with a sigh.

"All right, all right. Like Navi said before the doors were locked which meant: There had to be an enemy. I turned around and could see something standing on the island. Something was under the withered tree... "

He shuddered a bit at the memories.

"As I got closer something immediately attacked me with a sword and just in time I escape by jumping to the side. Shivers ran down my back when I faced my opponent. He looked just like me, with one difference: He was a shadow..._my_ shadow."

"You fought against your own shadow? How is this possible?" It came from one of the Kokiri girls.

"He was not quite my shadow."

Link's lips curled into a dark grin and everything was perfectly accompanied, as Navi was still sitting on his shoulder and the glow that emanated from her wrapped his face in a dark aura.

"He was rather my dark side."

"How did you beat him?"

Link's grin disappeared as quickly as it had come as his fairy chuckled.

"Navi, you want to tell the rest?"

"I was hoping you'd ask me that," she grinned.

"The fight lasted a long time and Link did not land a hit, but you could say the same for his shadow. Eventually, our hero lost his patience and unceremoniously threw one of his iron boots in the direction of his shadow and hit him right in the head."

Silence returned and everyone looked at Link with big eyes.

The Hero's face looked as red as a tomato.

"What else was I supposed to do?" He growled and glared at his fairy.

"You could have taken your hammer?"

"Pfft. My hammer. The stupid boot has also done it. Iron is iron..."

The other broke it out into peals of laughter and also Navi could no longer hold her laughter at these words.

And Link muttered something to himself and hid his face in his hands.

Maybe this was not such a good idea to tell them everything about his adventures...

* * *

><p>*I wrote a little one-shot featuring the friendship between Link and the Dragon Volvagia.<br>Check it out if you have interest. It calls "Friends to the bitter end"


	9. Chapter 9

_And the next chapter :) _

_Again I am sorry that it took me so long to update ^^;. _

_I hope you'll like it._

* * *

><p><span><strong><em>Chapter 9<em>**

"Please tell us another story Link."

"You will laugh at me again…"

"No, we don't laugh at you anymore, we promise."

"Yeah. Don't be like that. Please~."

The Hylian muttered something softly to himself and he pretended he wouldn't hear his friends anymore.

"Come on, Link. I'm sure they will love the Shadow Temple."

"If we leave out the Spirit Temple, I agree."

Navi looked at him questioningly, but when she saw how he demonstratively clutching his right arm as he spoke, she knew what he meant. He didn't want to tell his friends anything of his injury. They had already been full of concern as he had shown them the scar he got from Volvagia. Would he now show them a still almost fresh wound and tell them how he got it…he doubted that they ever let him go back out of the Kokiri village...

"Why won't you want to tell us of your adventures in the Spirit Temple?" Mido wanted to know curiously.

Link nervously stroked his hair back from his face and cleared his throat.

"Oh you know, Mido, it happened not much there. We finished this temple pretty fast."

"But we want to hear the story anyway," it came from one of the girls and the others nodded their heads affirmatively.

The Hero of Time sighed.

"Okay, how about this: I'll tell you everything that has happened in the shadow temple, and then I'll tell you how I have fought against two witches, what do you say?"

"Are you sure you really want to tell them everything which happened in the shadow temple?"

Link could literally hear the grin in Navi's voice and again a growl left his lips. The others were of course immediately fired up and they accepted Link's proposal with the condition to not leave out a single detail. Reluctantly, the Hero of time agreed, but when he would not scare them, everything was just fine...what could not be said for his pride.

"You should have seen him when he first tried to run on his hover boots. It looked just hilarious."

Of course, the little fairy had to begin with this...

The cheeks of the Hylian blushed and he yanked his cap over his eyes in embarrassment when the others started laughing.

"Ha, ha…very funny…"

"Awww, don't be like that. Can't you take a little fun anymore?"

"But not if it is at my expense all the time Navi!"

"If you do funny things all the time..."

The young hero pouted and looked away from her.

But Navi knew that he was not serious and she sat on his shoulder and brushed one of her wings teasingly over his ear, which made him chuckle softly.

"See? You no longer sulk anymore."

"That's unfair and you know it!"

"But it's effective."

Link growled and rolled his eyes.

Beside him he could hear Mido laugh to himself and the others grinned at him knowingly what immediately gave him again a pair of bright red cheeks.

"You've never seen what happened earlier, okay?"

"Are you kidding Link? Of course we have seen that," Mido grinned.

"Exactly, and I bet everyone in the lost woods must have heard you as well."

Link's head almost exploded with shame and he ran his hand through his face and sighed before he looked at Mido.

"Out with it: How did you know?"

"What? That you are ticklish?"

Link's eyes were as dark as the shadow realm and he growled a "Yes" in the direction of the young Kokiri.

Mido shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

"Your fairy told me."

"What?!"

"Oops…"

Navi quickly hid herself again under his cap and chuckled softly.

"Navi! You traitor!"

"I'm sorry, it just slipped out of me..."

"Pfft! Yes, yes, of course!"

"Don't worry Link, that shows us that you're human."

The Hylian smiled at the little girl who had said those words.

"Just be glad that your enemies have never found out about this. You would have been in a lot of trouble."

As quickly as his smile had come it faded immediately by Navi's words.

"I don't want to even imagine this. Also, I would never let all those monsters come close enough to me. Between me and my enemies still is the master sword."

"If you say so and when we are already at the subject: Didn't you want to tell something?"

"I beg for it. Finally we come back to another topic."

The others grinned, but said nothing more but to silently moved a little closer to him.

"So, where do I stopped? The Shadow Temple, right? The Shadow Temple is located at the cemetery of Kakariko. They say: Only those who have the eyes of the truth may enter the temple."

"The eyes of truth? What is this? A certain ability?" Came the question from the round and the others looked at Link excited when he rummaged in one of his pockets and then pulled out something.

"Actually, it's called "Lens of Truth". _This_ lens of truth."

"A magnifying glass?" Mido asked surprised as he raised his eyebrow questioningly.

Curious, he examined the strange-looking instrument from all sides as Link had given it to him.

"I see no difference when I look through it."

"It does not work anywhere."

"What am I supposed to see when I look through it?"

"The truth."

"And what exactly is the truth?"

"Well...when I was in the shadow temple it showed me all the right ways. Hidden traps, things that I could jump to get to the other end of a precipice and of course enemies who have moved under cover of invisibility. All this has it revealed to me. Only there was also a disadvantage, because I could not use my shield to ward, when I was involved in a fight, because either I had to hold the Lens of Truth or my shield."

"How good that you didn't need your shield for the last enemy of the temple."

"I am also very pleased about that Navi."

Link had to bite back a laugh when he saw the sparkle in the eyes of the Kokiri's which appeared during his words.

"You want to hear with certainty against what I fought, right?"

A nod followed thereupon.

"His name was Bongo Bongo, a funny name, I have to admit, but this creature was anything but laughable. On the contrary! It was a hell of a beast! Consisting of one eye, which also hid in the invisibility and two huge hands which drum rhythmically on a gigantic drum beat on which I stood. It was a tough fight and I wasn't allowed to make any mistakes, because if these hands had caught me...I would not be sitting here now."

Link stopped for a moment and shuddered as his thoughts went back to this fight.

"So I took my bow and shot some arrows on his hands. With the lens of truth I was able to see my opponent's weak point: his eye! I drew my sword and ran into the direction of the monster's eye and I stabbed my sword directly into it. That's how I broke the curse of the Shadow Temple and brought back the peace to Kakariko."

"It's amazing what you've been through Link."

"Yes, you are incredible!"

The blond boy was again quite red around the nose and scratched the back of his head with a soft laugh.

"Oh, that was nothing..." he muttered to himself, and the shade of red on his cheeks increasing a bit.

"Nothing? Link! You're a hero!"

"A hero? Oh come on...I'm just a knight who is traveling on behalf of the Princess."

Link's lips graced a mischievous grin as he spoke.

"And when the danger has passed and the hero saved the princess from the clutches of evil, she will give him rewarded with a kiss and they will be eternally happy..."

"NAVI!"

Again the Kokiris broke into peals of laughter.

Link tried to silence his sassy fairy and tried to hide the blush on his cheeks, but he managed neither the one nor the other.

Sometimes he even wondered whose side Navi was on.

He knew one thing for sure: At this moment, she definitely was not on his side...

And what Link also did not know was the fact that he has been watching all the time over out of the shadows of someone.

Sheik chuckled softly and continued to watch Link.

Actually, he had wanted to go, but now he was glad to have not done it, because listening to the chosen hero's stories and seeing his friends teasing him here and there and making him blush with embarrassment was a priceless sight.

Sheik was sure that he would not forget these pictures ever again...


	10. Chapter 10

_I am so sorry that it took me again so long to update this fanfic._  
><em>Hope you will like this chapter and again i am very sorry for mistakes.<em>

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 10<strong>_

"Oh come on Link , don't be like that. We were just joking."

"Well, like you already do all the time?"

"Don't look at me Link, I didn't do anything to you, that was your fairy."

"Exactly! It was Navi."

For some time Mido and his friends tried desperately to cheer the hero up, but he just ignored them. His fairy had tried to cheer him up a bit, but without success.

However she knew better, because looking into his azure eyes told her that Link did not mean it seriously. But the others did not know that as well...

The Hylian tried his serious demeanor to maintain as he crossed his arms over his chest and gave Navi and Mido a glare. The latter shuddered and backed away from him, just in case.

However, he could not intimidate his fairy.

She knew the game he was playing here, because it was not the first time that he behaved like that.

"Come on Link. You know that we have not been serious. We just teased you a little bit."

In response, he turned his head away from his fairy and pretending to be offended.

"Link…"

No answer.

"Now stop that, only small children behave like that and you're no longer one of them, right?"

She still got no answer, and Navi began to wonder if he was serious this time. Until she looked more closely and noticed that his mouth twitched slightly upward.

She giggled and sat down on his shoulder.

"When I think of it you're even worse than a small child..."

A growl was the answer she got from him.

She giggled and stroked over his ear with her wings.

Immediately Link twitched and twisted as she did not stop.

"You're like a baby~," she purred and a chuckle came from her as she watched the hero as he tried to escape her while still halfway tried to pull an acidified face.

Link could hear the other Kokiris laugh around him and this made him blush with embarrassment. He did not want to know how stupid he had to look at this moment. But deep in his heart he enjoyed the situation a little. Here at last he was able to let go and have some fun...

"Navi, s-stop that! This is ridiculous!"

Quickly Link held his hands in front of his ears to be able to protect them against further attacks. Embarrassed, he cleared his throat before he again gave his fairy a look that could freeze hell.

"Stop sulking and I stop tickling you."

"How generous of you."

Navi giggled.

"I'm always. And don't forget Link: I have a whole village which stands behind me."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Look around you and you will see what I mean."

Link let his eyes wander to his friends and shuddered as he looked at their faces, which were decorated with an evil grin and slowly the Hylian backed away from them.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Are you sure about that~?"

The hero shuddered as he looked into Mido's evil grinning face and slowly he stood up and the remaining Kokiris got up from their seats as well and came toward him.

He was so fast that no one could realize it at first and before they had realized it, the blonde was several feet away from them.

"Just you wait Link! Come on guys, GET HIM!"

Navi watched the spectacle from a safe distance and could barely stop laughing. The whole situation was just hilarious. Link, the Hero of Hyrule, who fought against fire-breathing dragons, undead, witches and other hideous monsters, now fled in panic before a crowd of Kokiris, which chased him halfway across the village.

"Give it up Link! We'll get you anyways!"

"And what do you dream at night, Mido?" Link laughed and he sped up, while some of the other Kokiris tried to surround him.

But he quickly realized that his old rival had not been wrong.

Although he was bigger and therefore faster than the others, but what would it help him when they were in the majority?

And before the young hero could know it, they had circled him.

"Ha! Now there is no escape for you!"

Link grinned, which surprised Mido.

"Are you sure about that Mido~?"

He not even waited for the answer to the question, as he quickly pulled out something from his pocket and was gone in a few seconds.

He had used his longshot to quickly save himself on the roof of one of the Kokiri houses. A triumphant smile played on his lips as he looked down on the crowd.

"I won't let myself be captured and tortured again that easily!"

"What? Oh but now you're exaggerating Link. We haven't tortured you...well okay, maybe a tiny little bit."

"Well thank you very much for that!" the blonde growled.

Mido smirked and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Come down here, then I apologize to you."

In response Link just stuck out his tongue at him.

Mido gritted his teeth and growled like a hungry wolf who was about to tear his prey apart and it was not long until it broke out of him.

"Grr! Just you wait Link! Sooner or later you will have to come down there and when the time comes, you're so in for it! Then I will show no mercy!"

Link had to smile and playfully rolled his eyes.

"Yup, that is Mido as he lives and breathes..." he whispered to himself.

He ignored Mido and the others after that and turned his head in the direction in which Navi still was.

"NAVI?"

It was not long until the little blue fairy flew over to him and sat down on his shoulder.

"Aww, did you escaped them?"

Link smirked again.

"I won't let them catch me that simple again. Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Will you do me a favor?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"Will you stay here with the others? I have to go to the lost woods."

"What? Are you crazy? You have neither sword nor shield with you and I think you know best what happens to those who get lost there, right? Do you really want the risk that?"

"Hey, hey remain calm Navi. I am well aware of what will happen if I get lost, but I will not. I know the way, don't worry about me."

"Take me with you!"

"No Navi."

"Why not?"

"You can't leave them alone."

"I can't leave you alone as well!"

"Navi, just trust me, okay? Stay here with the others and tell them a few stories of our travels. I'll come back as soon as possible, I promise you."

"But...but why Link? Why do you want to go to the lost woods? It is almost night!"

"Well...it's like someone's calling me. This voice seems very familiar to me. I can hear it throughout the day. At first I thought I would just imagine it, but it is becoming increasingly clear. This voice calling me Navi, into the lost woods. It says, "Come to me Link. Come to the glade. I'll wait for you there."

"Ohhh now I understand..."

The small fairy chuckled and got up from his shoulder.

"You know to whom this voice belongs?"

"Yes, and you know it deep in your heart too, right?"

Link smiled meekly and that was answer enough for Navi.

"Go to her Link. I will take care of the others."

The blond-haired man stood up and smiled at her gratefully.

"Thank you Navi. I'll hurry, I promise."

"No, take your time. You deserve it..."

His smile got wider and he nodded silently before he turned around and went to the entrance to the lost woods.

Meanwhile, Navi flew down to the Kokiri crowd and told them that Link would be in the lost woods for the rest of the evening, but she would continue her history lesson.

It took a bit, but after a few tries the others accepted it and went back to the campfire.

At the meantime, Link arrived in the lost woods.

The voice was stronger, a tune, that was very well known to him, mingled among it, led him on safe paths through the woods until he had reached his goal: the forest glade, the entrance to the Forest Temple.

The Hero of Hyrule felt his heart pounding in his chest and nervousness

took possession of his body. He felt a familiar aura like the voice was also becoming more familiar and he walked the last few steps to the forest clearing, and then he saw the source of the voice and the melody and an almost forgotten warmth filled his heart as he saw how her head rose and as she gave him a warm smile.

"Saria…"


	11. Chapter 11

_Oh God guys, i am so sorry for the late update.  
>I was busy with other fanfics and almost forgot about my Zelda fic.<br>Shame on me._

_I really hope you will like this chapter here :)._

_And i am sorry for grammer/spelling mistakes._

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 11<strong>

Silence.

Not a word left Link's lips.

His eyes sparkled with joy and excitement at the same time and the only thing his ears could still hear was the beating of his own heart.

He had guessed that he would meet Salia here, but to see her in person now was just like a dream to him. Above all, he asked himself the question of how she had made it out of the Chamber of Sages to come to the lost woods. She had told him there was no way back for her because the Chamber of Sages would be her new home now.

But Link didn't think about all of this any longer.

His thoughts went back to the past, back to the days in which he and Saria had so much fun together.

At that time there were no horrible monsters that had haunted these woods, the temple had not been cursed, and all was well until the gruesome day when Ganondorf had usurped the power and everything was doomed.

Link had to leave the village of the Kokiri's with a heavy heart and it still hurt him, as he thought of Saria's sad eyes when he had to leave.

He would never be able to forget this sadness in her eyes ever again.

The last time they had met again was in the Chamber of Sages and since then not anymore.

Since that day, many months had passed, but it had not passed one day on which he had not thought back to his best friend and now here she was, at the place that was for both of them of momentous importance.

The Hylian felt his lips curled into a smile and he slowly walked up to the little Kokiri girl.

She raised her head and smiled at him so lovingly that his heart almost jumped with joy in his chest and now he was sure that he was not dreaming.

Slowly, she stood up and moved towards him.

Her eyes sparkled with so much joy Link had not seen for a long time in the eyes of a human and it also fulfilled his own heart with joy.

"Are you really here? Or is that a dream?"

She shook her head, confirmed him that he was not dreaming and his smile widened.

He opened his mouth to say something again, but Saria didn't give him the slightest chance, because as soon as she came to a halt in front of him she tossed herself around his neck and hugged him tightly.

Link's eyes widened at this friendly gesture, because he had not expected it. But he relaxed quickly and replied the hug with a slight blush on his face and pressed her gently against his body. He felt her clawing at the fabric of his green tunic and only seconds later a quiet sobbing came to his ears.

"Saria?"

There was no answer; she tightened her grip around him just a little.

"Hey, Saria. What's wrong with you? Why are you crying?"

"I-I am not crying…"

Nevertheless Link's lips graced a small smile as he leaned back slightly, his fingers slid under her chin and turned her head gently upwards so he could look into her face.

"What is wrong?"

She wiped the tears from her eyes before she looked at him and tried to answer his question, but she couldn't stop the tears running down her cheeks anymore.

"You simply disappeared from the forest. You were gone and none of us knew why. Can you imagine how worried I was about you? Don't do that ever again!"

During her last words she beat him half-heartedly with her fist against the chest and immediately buried her face back into his tunic and began to sob again.

"Shhh, calm down Saria. Now I am with you and I promise you that I'll never leave you alone again."

"You're a bad liar, you know that?"

"What do you mean?"

She lifted her head and looked at him with tears in her eyes.

"You will leave the forest again. Soon you will go again. Link, you forget that I am a sage. I know what your destiny is and I know what you have to do. You can't hide it from me."

The Lord of time sighed and closed his eyes briefly.

"I don't hide anything from you, I just don't want to talk about it, let alone think about what lies ahead of me. I know that I have to go to the castle and that I will face Ganondorf there. Also, I feel the fear, which is deep hidden in my heart, but I will not let it get the upper hand over me. I will face him boldly and I will defeat him and thus bring peace back to Hyrule. And then..."

He deliberately made a break, which made her look up again.

"...I come back to the Kokiri Forest."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Now a small, barely recognizable smile crept on Saria's face and she buried her face back into his chest, listening to the soft beating of his heart and slowly but surely she calmed down. Especially when Link knelt down to her and pressed her gently against his body and stroked her back soothingly up and down.

"Calm down Saria. I'm here and I won't leave you."

She didn't answer, but clung tightly to him, burying her face in his shoulder, which made him sigh softly. His lips curled into a small, mischievous smile and he slowly ran his index finger gently and teasingly at the same time over her side.

A squeak came from her lips and she jumped back a little and rubbed over her side with a quiet giggle before she glared at him playfully. Link pretended, however, as if nothing had happened and looked at her innocently.

"What?"

She grumbled, stepped a few steps forward and poked him in the side.

"That was not fair!" She giggled which also conjured a small grin on his lips.

"What was not fair? That?"

Again, a squeak, which quickly turned into happy laughter broke from her throat when Link dug his fingers into her sides and tickled her gently. She nodded with a laugh and he continued, grinning as she squealed again and she desperately tried to grab his hands, push them away or trying to block his devious fingers, but he was too strong for her.

"L-Link! No! Stop it," she laughed, but he seemed to be deaf.

"Come here," he laughed and within seconds he had his arms wrapped around her body and pressed her back against his own body, holding her with one arm. With his free hand he searched every little spot on her body, which he knew was ticklish.

But Saria herself did not sit idly and she collects all her remaining strength and pressed her fingers now against his sides and tickled him in the same way back which also drew a laugh from him. Within moments, the sage of forest had gained the upper hand in their playful combat when her fingers brushed over his stomach and made him almost burst into hysterical laughter.

Although he tried to launch a counter attack, but his attempts went under quickly in his laughter and he let himself fall back into the soft grass of the clearing and just laughed happily.

"O-okay! Okay Saria! I-I give up! Please! You have won!"

Immediately the green haired Kokiri girl let go of him and raised her arms triumphantly in the air.

"Haha! Look at me! I have vanquished the Lord of times!"

Link chuckled softly, wiping tears of mirth out of his eyes and then looked up at her with a wry smile as she sat on his thighs and grinned at him.

"You all fight unfair."

"You all? Are you saying that the others have found out as well?"

A growl came from Link's throat and he turned his head away from his best friend in embarrassment.

"Yes...Mido has found out...well, no, my own fairy betrayed me."

Salia laughed and patted him on the stomach.

"Awww did they tickle you~?"

"Yes, and apparently Mido is not done yet. This is also the reason why I came here without a sword and shield. I left it in my house. Had I left the roof, on which I had saved myself...I don't even want to think about it."

Saria laughed again and she stood up and helped him into a sitting position.

"What do we do now?" Link wanted to know after a few moments of silence and he looked at her questioningly.

Saria grinned and pulled him unceremoniously to the entrance of the forest temple.

"I hope you took your long shot with you."

"What? Why?"

"Let's go into the forest temple."

"I-Into the temple? But...why? You should know Saria, I didn't have made good experiences in this temple."

"Link. You broke the curse, it is safe. Trust me. The monsters are gone and I must know best. I'm the guardian of this temple. Come on, let's go."

Link sighed and finally gave in and pulled out his long shot.

"Fine. You persuaded me," he grinned and he wrapped his arm around Saria's waist and held her tight.

Then he pulled himself and the Kokiri girl up with the long shot on an old tree trunk and moments later, both entered the forest temple...


	12. Chapter 12

_Again i am sorry that it took me so long to update this fic.  
>At least i managed to write a longer chapter now. :)<em>

_I hope you will like it._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 12<strong>_

"Are you sure this is safe Saria? I don't think this is a good idea."

"Now don't be a coward Link. Here is nothing to be afraid of."

"B-but what if something will attack us? I have neither sword nor shield with me. If something would attack us, then I can't defend us."

"Link. Calm down and look around: There's nothing here. We are the only ones who are here. Trust me. And now come with me. "

As fast as Saria grabbed his arm and pulled him behind her, the Hylian could not look because his best friend already pulled him through the first door.

Link recognized the room immediately, because it was one of the first rooms that he had entered the first time he was in the forest temple.

With one difference: This time not a huge Dekuranha lurked on the other side of the door, waiting for him to attack him.

A small smile spread across his face as he looked around.

It had changed a lot since the last time he was in this place.

The monsters were gone, just like the evil aura that had surrounded this place at that time. The plants had grown and the small bridge that was located on a small waterhole in front of him was overgrown with ivy. The same was true of the old pillars that stood at the other end of the bridge. It was a wonderful sight.

"You were right Salia. A lot has changed and it has become more peaceful in fact."

"See? I've told you."

Again she grabbed his arm.

"Come on, let's go to the pillars."

Link laughed and let her drag him to the other side of the bridge.

"Not so stormy Salia, we still have time."

"Not enough time. By morning I must be back in the Temple of Light. Otherwise Rauru will worry about me."

They both sat down on the edge of the water and Salia took off her boots and dipped her feet in the pleasantly cool water and fall back into the soft grass with a relaxed sigh.

"Rauru's worries are justified. Don't forget: You are the sage of the forest. Hyrule needs you Saria...and I need you too."

The cheeks of the Kokiri girl took on a light pink during his words.

"Awww no reason to blush Saria~," Link grinned as he leaned over her to look into her face.

The shade of red on her cheeks increased more when Link leaned his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes. She giggled and pressed her hands against his chest, but she didn't manage to push him away what he commented with a grin.

"Ohhh just look at these two lovebirds~."

Link's heart skipped a beat at the sudden voice and he turned around and was shocked when he saw three Deku Scrubs on the other side of the bridge which looked curiously at him and Saria.

"Saria? I thought we'd be here alone?"

To his surprise, the green-haired girl giggled and sat up again.

"Don't be afraid of them. They are peaceful. They live here since you broke the curse of the forest temple. However, they seem not to have listened to me when I said that we want to remain undisturbed."

The final words Saria intentionally said loudly, so the three Deku Scrubs could hear them too. They giggled and hopped back to the door through which they had come into the room. Of course, not without shouting another "But behave yourself!" over to them, which made Link's head almost explode with embarrassment.

"WE ARE JUST FRIENDS!" Link roared them afterward, but he only got amused laughter by Saria and the Deku Scrubs back as an answer.

"Don't let them tease you Link."

The blond boy lay back with a sigh and ran his hands through his face.

"You're right..." he muttered and he tried to control the blush on his face as best he could.

Saria giggled and sat up, then leaned over him.

"Well? Who's blushing now?~" she teased him with a cheeky grin on her lips, which made him blush even more.

The blond boy muttered something to himself, and hid his face in his hands, which made Saria chuckle and she pinched his sides.

"Ouch! Hey! Saria, what are you doing?" he muttered, and he looked at her again.

The green-haired Kokiri girl said nothing.  
>She smiled at him lovingly and slowly leaned down to him.<p>

Link's head almost exploded as she gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and then again pulled away from him.

The Hylian not found the right words and decided to be silent.

He slowly sat up and ran his fingertips over the spot where he had just felt the lips of the young Temple Guardian moments ago.

"And...what was that for?"

Saria giggled at his uncertain voice, especially when she saw how red his cheeks were now.

"I have never been able to properly thank you."

"For what?"

Link raised his brow questioningly when he finally looked at her again.

The young Kokiri playfully rolled her eyes and within seconds she pressed Link back to the ground and bent over him.

"Maybe because you've saved me you goof?"

She grinned when the young hero was all red around the nose again and even pulled a small, offended pout.

"I'm not a goof..." he muttered, and he turned his face away from her and hid it in addition in his arms.

Saria giggled and pinched his sides again which made him growl.

"Oh yes you are. The biggest goof in whole Hyrule~."

Link peered through his arms through to Saria and stretched his tongue out at her naughty, before he chuckled and hid his face again.

Saria again rolled her eyes and shook her head.

In moments like these she doubt whether in front of her really was the chosen hero of Hyrule. But then she reminded herself what he had already been through. She grudged him the bit of fun he had right now, because she knew he would set off to the castle soon and that he would banish the evil forever from this world. And at that moment her smile faded briefly from her lips and she wondered if she would ever see him again when he was gone...

"Saria? Is everything okay with you?"

She twitched slightly; startled when she suddenly heard his voice and this brought her back to reality again.

She looked down at him and her smile returned to her lips.

"Yes...Yes, everything's alright with me. I was just thinking."

"So? About what?"

"Oh...nothing important..."

She lay down next to him in the soft grass and crossed her arms behind her head and Link did the same.

For several minutes there was silence between the two, because none of them knew what to say in such a situation. Link knew that she cared about him, but there was no need for words. He wished so much that he could take away her concern, but he couldn't because he himself didn't know how his upcoming fight would end.

He shook his head, trying to change his thoughts to another topic but it was hard for him to do that. He sat up, thus attracted the attention of the young girl beside him, looking at him questioningly.

"Want to go already?"

Link smiled and silently shook his head.

"No, I'll stay with you Salia, don't worry about that."

He winked at her mischievously which made her blush yet again and she giggled sheepishly.

The blond boy smiled in return and got rid of his boots and fell back with a relaxed sigh again, as now he also dipped his bruised feet in the pleasantly cool water.

Saria sat up as she had noticed something when he had taken off his boots. He had a slightly painful expression on his face when he had done it and she had noticed that he had barely used his right arm, which made her suspicious.

"Link?"

"Hmhm?"

"What happened to your arm?"

The Hylian closed his eyes.

"Nothing. My arm is fine."

The green-haired girl grimaced and sat up.

"I already told you: You're a bad liar."

A small smile appeared on his face and he opened one of his eyes and looked over at her. But there was not a gentle smile on her face like before, no. Only concern.

"I'm fine, Saria, don't worry about me. It's nothing, really."

"Stop it Link. I see that you are in pain, even the whole evening long. What's up? Are you hurt?"

"N-no, no. I am fine Saria. I -."

But she didn't let him finish his sentence, as she bent over him and put her index finger to his lips to put him to silence. Then she looked at him with a serious look.

"Show me your arm."

The swordsman sighed in defeat, because it would not make sense to deny it any longer.

He sat up slowly and first took off his tunic and then his white shirt and put it aside.

Saria's eyes widened slightly and she felt the heat in her face grew a lot as she looked up his muscular body. But the slight embarrassment turned fast into concern when she saw the bloody bandage which was tied around his upper right arm.

"Link! Why haven't you told me about this much earlier?"

"I didn't want to concern the others and certainly not you..."

"Does that mean that no one knows of this wound?"

"Only Navi...and now you."

The next moment the young hero gasped as Saria had given him a pat on the back of the head. Grumbling, he rubbed his left hand over the slightly painful spot and glared at the same time at his best friend.

"Hey! What was that for?"

"Considering that you're always so stubborn!" she growled back, and she moved a little closer to him and grabbed his arm.

"Now hold still and let me see the wound."

Link decided to obey and to be silent and let her look at the wound.

He winced as she carefully un-wrapped the bandage from his arm, and thereby exposing the deep wound that had started to bleed again.

Without another word to lose, the young girl stood up and walked towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Stay right where you are Link, I'll be right back. Your wound needs to be treated, otherwise it becomes inflamed, if it is not already happened!"

Before the blonde could answer, she was already gone.

A few minutes later she came back and sat next to him again.

She put her things into the grass which she had brought. A bowl of water, a few towels, a new bandage, a bottle filled with a red liquid and to Link's great horror, a needle and a piece of thread.

"S-Saria? What you up to?"

Wordlessly, she pushed him to the ground and grabbed the bottle of red liquid.

"You certainly will not like it, but you have to go through it now."

"I was afraid because I knew you would say that...What exactly is in this bottle?"

"Wine."

"Perfect, exactly what I need right now to calm my nerves..."

"That you shall not drink..."

"But what am I going to-."

Link could not finish his sentence, because a loud, painful scream broke free from his throat as his friend tipped the wine over the wound to disinfect it.

"By the gods of Hyrule..."

Link fell back and closed his eyes, panting, trying to ignore the pain in his arm, but that was almost impossible.

"Forgive me, but it must be done..."

He opened his eyes and at the same moment, his pupils widened as Saria took the needle and put the thread through it.

"W-wait a minute...Saria! What are you going to do with that?"

"Your wound needs to be stitched."

"B-but...n-no, wait. It can heal without being stitched!"

"No, it can't. It is too deep and you'll have problems. I am sorry Link but it has to be done."

She smiled at him mischievously, as she looked into his frightened eyes.

"Don't tell me the great hero of Hyrule is afraid of a tiny needle?"

Link blushed again and he turned his face away from her.

"Of course not..." he muttered to himself, and he closed his eyes.

Saria smiled lovingly and raised his arm to put one of the towels under it.

"I'll try to make it fast. Are you ready?"

He nodded silently with his head and squeezed his eyes shut and prepared himself for the coming pain.

He whimpered as Saria started to stitch the wound on his arm and he gritted his teeth and let her do the work. But the soft whimper that left his throat he could not hold back even with the utmost effort and it hurt the young Kokiri in her heart to see him suffer like that. But it had to be done...

Neither of them noticed that they were being watched, because the door from which they had come, had opened a bit and the three Deku Scrubs peered through it.

Also out of the shadows they were being watched by one person.

Sheik had followed the young hero, watching what is happening now in silence before him with a worried glint in his eyes.

Not even he had known how bad Link was really injured in the Spirit Temple and inside him he thanked Salia with all his heart that she had not let up and helped him now.

Link would need all his forces and a wound as this could cost him his life in the crucial battle...


	13. Chapter 13

_This is the penultimate chapter.  
>After that an Epilogue will follow and this fanfiction is finished ;).<em>

_Feedback would be much appreciate by me._

* * *

><p>"Link? Is everything okay with you?"<p>

The Hylian opened one of his azure eyes and smiled gently at Saria and nodded his head.

"Yes, I'm fine...thank you."

Also Saria smiled and she fastened the bandage she had tied around his wound.  
>She leaned over him and wiped him with a wet towel the sweat from his forehead.<p>

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to hurt you. But it could not be avoided."

"It's okay. I have far worse behind me."

She grinned and poked him in the stomach.

"Suddenly it's not so bad? This looked different just a few minutes ago."

Even Link grinned but he couldn't prevent his cheeks from blushing.

"It's better if you keep this to yourself."

"Hmm I don't know. That will be difficult. I already know two weaknesses of yours...And I bet Princess Ruto would be interested in it as well. She told me to say hello from your "wife". She misses her lover sooooo much~."

Her grin widened as he grumbled something in response softly to himself, and his face turned away from her.

"Awww don't be like that. I am not serious...well okay when it comes to Ruto I am serious."

Pretending to be offended Link closed his eyes and pouted which made Saria laugh in amusement.

But her smile quickly disappeared as she let her eyes wander over his naked torso and looked at all those terrible scars on his body.

She winced when he took her hand in his own and smiled softly.

"There are only scars Saria, don't worry about it. I am fine."

"They may be scars now, but once they were wounds which could have cost you your life!"

She leaned over him again and looked deep into his eyes.

"And now you got another scar. Link, I'm very worried about you...no, not just me. We all. Please...be careful when you go to the castle."

"Saria. I have always been careful. Caution is my second first name."

The young Kokiri raised her eyebrow and stroked over the long scar he had received from the Dragon of Death Mountain, which made him wince.

"This looks a bit different from my side."

The blonde sighed and sat up slowly and bit his lower lip because his wound still burned like fire. But he had to admit that it felt much better than before.

When he turned his back on her, he heard his best friend gasp in shock.

"Link! Your back! What has happened there?"

Embarrassed, he scratched the back of his head, before he then turned his head to look over his shoulder. On his back everywhere were scars. Some smaller and some larger which reminded her of cuts.

"Oh that...that was not as bad as it looks like."

"What?! Link! Look at this! It looks like you're almost been torn to pieces!"

He didn't answer, but only bowed his head and reached for his white shirt, but Saria not even gave him the slightest chance to get dressed again as she grabbed his arm and looked at him with concern.

"What happened?"

Link sighed and turned back to her.

"It happened in the Water Temple. I got to deal with an enemy who just could deal as good with the sword, as I do. I have already told the others the story, but I have omitted some details in order to not scare them."

"Yes, you told them that he had not landed a single hit, right?"

"W-what? How do you know?"

She grinned and giggled as she saw his shocked expression.

"I have a bit of listening. The story was really great...especially the part when you have "defeated" your shadow."

Link could feel the blush crept back onto his cheeks.

"If someone is around you, the person must worry that you won't throw your boots against his head like a madman."

"Ha, ha, very funny," the Hylian growled as the green-haired girl laughed.

As she almost rolled across the floor from laughing so much, Link quickly got dressed again and bit back his own laughter and tried to keep his serious face, but that didn't work after a few tries and he started to laugh along with his best friend.

"I wish I had seen his face when you threw your boot against his head."

"I guess he was expecting everything, but not that."

Saria sat back up and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"What happened to him? Did you kill him?"

The blond boy frowned.

"Hmm...good question...to be honest, I don't know. He was gone suddenly and the road was again clear for me and Navi. I haven't thought about it to be honest. He probably crawled back to his Lord and Master, who has punished him properly, as he did with the Phantom, which had cursed the forest temple."

"So are you saying that it could be possible that he is still alive?"

"It's just a guess Saria. I mean...the underside of the boot was made of iron. Something you can't deal with that easy when it hits your head."

A grin crept on the lips of the hero and his friend giggled again.

"Hmm, if he has a thick skull like you have I think it wouldn't surprise me at all if he was still alive..."

"Oh that was a blow right into my heart."

The young Guardian laughed amused and poked his side which made him giggle as well.

"I was just joking Link."

The blond boy smiled, put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his side.

"I know that," he whispered lovingly into her ear and he had to chuckle when he saw how red her cheeks were now.

Then there was silence between them until...

"Link?"

"Uh-huh?"

"Do you have your ocarina with you?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?"

Saria smiled fondly, leaning her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes.

"Do you play on it?"

Also, Link's lips curled into a smile.

"What do you want to hear?"

"..."

"Saria?"

"...The Minuet of Forest. Do you play it for me?"

"The Minuet of the forest? Are you sure? Don't you want to hear your song?"

Her smile grew wider.

"We play this one together then, what do you say?"

Link took his ocarina out of his pocket and he still had this gentle smile on his face.

"That sounds like a good idea Saria..."

Then he closed his eyes and began to play and both were driven by the music, and all their dark thoughts were forgotten for a short time...


	14. Epilogue

_Aaaaaand the last chapter :).  
>I had a lot of fun writing this fanfiction and i want to thank all followers and readers.<em>  
><em>Again Feedback would be much appreciate by me^^.<em>

**_Epilogue_**

Hours had passed and as Link opened his eyes again, he was alone.

Sleepily the young hero sat up and wiped the sleep from his eyes and looked around, but Saria was gone.

"I must have fallen asleep. Oh Saria, I wish I would have been able to say goodbye to you..."

The words were addressed to him and almost swung something like sadness in his voice and his eyes clouded over.

Saria had told him that she had to be back before dawn, otherwise Rauru would be worried about her.

Rauru's concern was justified, because Saria was one of the seven sages, Hyrule's last hope for peace, because only with the power of the seven sages Link would be able to ban the evil forever from this country.

And still Link saw the best friend he ever had in Saria.

She had given him the strength to stay strong as Mido and the others had annoyed him when he was young. She had been there for him when he was feeling bad. She was the one on whose shoulder he could lean back and it was she who had always listened to him.

A better friend he could not have...

His lips quirked up into a wide smile because of this thoughts and he finally rose from his seat and went slowly back on track.

When he opened the door he paused, listened into the temple, and his smile widened, because there had never been so much peace in the forest temple since a long time. It was nice to know that he had expelled the darkness of this temple and thus also from his home.

Gradually, the light would return to this world and peace would reign again. But to achieve this, there was still a job to do and that was to confront the grand master of evil, Ganondorf, personally in one last battle against light and darkness.

Only then the evil would be banished from this world and peace would return.

Link shuddered at such dark thoughts.

He tried to repress those evil thoughts and stepped through the door.

He didn't want to think of what would lie ahead of him now.

But he knew that the decisive battle was now within reach, because he would leave this evening. He would leave the forest behind him and go to the castle to fight against Ganondorf and let him pay for his deeds.

And yet the feeling of not being able to finish this task crept over him.

Although a strong warrior had become of him, but deep inside, he was still the small Fairy boy from the forest. Someone who preferred the Kokiri Forest and Mido, who got on his nerves all the time, as traveling through the world with sword and shield, killing sinister creatures.

Even if he had aged, he still felt like the little seven year old boy from the forest he once was and he could not deny it, that the feeling of fear came over him, when he thought of what lay before him.

What if he was going to die?

His friends would also be doomed.

He quickly shook his head and his gait quickened slightly and he finally stepped out of the temple, on the forest glade.

Saria's favorite place...

Memories of long gone days shot through his head, making him smile.

How often he had been with Saria at this place he could not tell.

Often enough they had sat together at dusk, had made up stories, or told stories that they had heard from the great Deku tree and they had given into their childish and playful side.

Link missed those times.

Times when evil was banished deep in the underworld.

Times when the shadows does not rule over the country.

Times when he did not have to deal with a sword.

The young warrior stopped in his movements, raised his head, enjoying the fresh morning breeze which brought him the smell of the woods. His eyes closed and he only listened to the whisper of the wind, which gently caressed his skin.

When his eyes opened again, he knew what he was determined for.

He was the one who would overthrow Ganondorf and bring back peace to Hyrule.

And he would be the one who would save his friends from the clutches of the shadow world.

Even if it should mean his own death...

One last time Link turned around, looked at the clearing and the forest temple that was submerged by the rising sun in a gentle red, before he turned around and made his way back through the lost woods.

He would say goodbye to Mido and the others, he would take his sword and his shield and travel together with Navi into the heart of darkness and he would face the shadow king in one last battle.

And if this would really be his last trip, he knew that he would not die as a cowardly little boy, but as a hero.

The hero of Hyrule who had banished the evil and had become the hero of time...

**_The end_**


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